Testing to travel to France

[zippyswife]

We got away last summer. Got into France the day they announced quarantine. It was pretty stressful on the lead up to the holiday but was entirely worth it for the slice of normality and the quarantine the other side was just a small price to pay. We're trying to do it again.

I'm just trying to price up the testing for this summer.

Have I got this right...? Adults in our scenario are fully vaccinated.

Over 11s test 2 days prior to departure for France.
Over 10s test prior to departure for England.
Over 4s test on day 2 on return.

Am I missing anything? Travel is after 19th July

Sorry by "not needing to quarantine" in that last post, I'm referring to vaccinated adults and accompanying non-vaccinated children.

The rules are written allow the test to be done in any country en-route to the Uk, it’s the timing and type of test that’s important, AFAIK yes you can do what you suggested but chapter and verse is here:

www.gov.uk/guidance/coronavirus-covid-19-testing-for-people-travelling-to-england

Vaccinated adults don’t quarantine, do a day two test..again the detailed guidance, including that for children is on the HMG site.

www.gov.uk/guidance/red-amber-and-green-list-rules-for-entering-england?utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=govuk-notifications&utm_source=2f3729f9-1179-42a6-94ab-c4bac568c56d&utm_content=immediately

Thanks, that's really helpful.

Has anyone flown from Stansted? I'm wondering about the wait times at security... my friend had a three hour wait coming back to UK which doesn't bother me that much but I'd book a fast pass if it was bad this side. My head says it can't be as booking are down this year...

Aaargh! Someone on another thread has panicked me - my DDs were planning on taking Chronomics home antigen tests before we go to France on Saturday and now I'm panicking that home-administered tests won't get us into France - can anyone reassure me that they have done this and it was fine?!?

@Janek

Aaargh! Someone on another thread has panicked me - my DDs were planning on taking Chronomics home antigen tests before we go to France on Saturday and now I'm panicking that home-administered tests won't get us into France - can anyone reassure me that they have done this and it was fine?!?

Official guidance UK > France here:

uk.ambafrance.org/COVID-19-rules-for-travel-between-France-and-the-UK-28918

I can't see where is says that home-administered tests would (or wouldn't?) be accepted on that link...

@Janek

I can't see where is says that home-administered tests would (or wouldn't?) be accepted on that link...

My daughter travelled to France on a home administered test three weeks ago so you should be fine!

Thank you!

@Janek

I can't see where is says that home-administered tests would (or wouldn't?) be accepted on that link...

Yes the website is silent on that issue because the official position is they don’t mind whether it is self administered or not (as user145 etc has mentioned).

Just make sure you have the results in an official looking format and I’m sure all will be well.

Ah, that makes sense. I actually found in black and white that self administered tests are not accepted, but you couldn't have told that we'd done it ourselves from the certificate that would have been issued.

In the throes of panic I have booked to do the tests at Birmingham Airport, and I'll use the self-administered ones to return to the UK. Because apparently we genuinely don't care!